Rock: 'Dubs need to focus on semi-final'

12 June 2017

With Diarmuid Connolly set to request a hearing in front of the Central Hearings Committee over his proposed twelve week ban the rest of this Dublin team-mates are focusing on preparing for the Leinster semi-final.

Connolly is making headlines again this week with the news that the Dublin County Board aren't willing to accept the recommendation of the Central Competitions Control Committee. They put forward a twelve week suspension for Connolly for his slight push on the linesman during Dublin's win over Carlow in the Leinster football championship quarter-final.

Fellow Dublin forward, Rock, says a player of Connolly's ability will always come in for extra attention from opposition players.

"Diarmuid is a fantastic footballer. When you're a fantastic footballer sometimes teams have to do certain things to try to get into your head space or take you off your game.

"Dublin footballers aren't any different to any other county footballers around the country. That's what teams do. That's just modern football. That's probably the way football was for years gone by, when my Dad played or other teams played in the 90s or 2000s, so I don't think anything is any different nowadays."

"Diarmuid is one of the best footballers I've ever played with. He's been a great footballer with Dublin and achieved so much. Obviously a fella of his talent would be a huge loss to the panel but … we've got a big game to prepare for in the next two weeks against Westmeath or Offaly in a Leinster semi-final.